Everything You Need to Know About IPL Treatments

That night, my skin felt a little sensitive, and I could already see the freckles and sun spots I had becoming darker than they previously were. What happened next was the crazy part for me—over the next few days, these darkened freckles rose to the surface of my skin and began flaking off my face without me feeling it in the slightest!

It almost looked like I had tiny coffee grinds on my face before the spots flaked off, which could easily be covered with makeup. You can apply makeup immediately after IPL (as long as you apply it gently), which I did the day following the treatment with no problems. The flaking only lasted three to four days for me, but that can vary from person to person. I apologize profusely for not documenting this, but I assure you it was nothing makeup couldn’t cover.

Now, I didn’t have a ton of freckles or sun spots to begin with, but the few I did have reacted exactly as I was promised to the IPL treatment—rising to the surface and disappearing from my face. I have a few friends who started the IPL process with significantly more freckles than I did, and they’re completely gone post-treatment. If you want to save certain freckles or beauty marks, simply point them out to the nurse and they’ll avoid going over that spot with the light.

Aside from the removal of sun damage, I also noticed a brighter, more tightened skin tone a few weeks after my IPL treatment. My skin just looked healthier, calmer, and more even overall. The procedure helped reduce my facial redness a bit, but I was informed that redness is the hardest to treat with IPL out of all skin concerns. (It requires the higher settings on the machine, so it takes a few sessions to work your way up to that level.) Three to six treatments are recommended for optimal results, so I’ll definitely be going back for additional sessions to target the redness more after experiencing how quick and easy IPL is.

If you’re interested in learning more about IPL and witnessing the process, one of my best friends, Melissa Alatorre, made this in-depth YouTube video for her channel about our experiences (you can also watch the actual IPL treatment if you’re curious!).